Sunday, August 26, 2012

Recent addition to my collection

After I moved to Japan in early Spring, I visited aquarium parks in Japan several times. The most impressive one was that in Okinawa, Churaumi Aquarium.

The newest one I visited was that in Tokyo, Sumida Aquarium. This one was just opened in May 2012, beside the Tokyo Skytree also just opened at the same time.

The below are the miniature figures I bought in the souvenir shop in the Sumida Aquarium. On the left you see the zebra shark (Stegostoma fasciatum), and on the right, the leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata).



The one on the right is my favorite. I didn't expect that I can find figures for these species at all. I got very excited and ended up with spending two thousand yen for them.


Friday, August 17, 2012

EEA 2012 in Milan, Italy

European Elasmobranch Association’s 16th Annual Conference will be held in Milan, Italy, 22th-25h November 2012. [ conference web site ]



Saturday, August 11, 2012

My education restarted - Day 1

About 6 months after I quited working in a university in Southern Germany, I gave the first lecture in front of students this week. It was part of the 1-week-long undergrad internship program that the institute hosted. I had students raise their hands for several questions.

They included a basic question, 'Have you had any bioinformatics lecture in your university study?'

Out of 23 very keen students (primarily interested in developmental biology, though), .......................... only 3 raised their hands.

It will take time, but I have to seriously think about how to change this reality.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

History to make ... - from Olympic games

I am quietly excited about the rise of Japanese soccer - both mens' and womens'. I did not imagine that the day like this really comes. But, what is really new and what has changed? In my sense, nothing really. Especially, in the mens' team, there is not a single special player. They just have unity, patience and skills. These elements are also what I truly respect in my work, especially in what I am now trying to achieve in my new position in Japan.